Public opinion in Japan has turned dramatically against nuclear power. Gas is one of the few realistic options for filling the resulting energy vacuum for this manufacturing giant.

According to a poll conducted by Japanese newspaper Mainichi Shimbun published on August 22, 74% of Japanese people support a gradual cutback on nuclear power plants in Japan. Clearly, Japan's love affair with nuclear energy has turned sour.

On the eve of the crisis at Fukushima, nuclear power contributed around 30% of Japanese energy generation, with coal and gas providing similar proportions. But nuclear was on an upward trajectory. There were plans to increase nuclear’s...